Bakersfield, California Established 1983

Do you like to garden or do you want to farm

Keep your day job It is easier to grow

than to sell Retail / Wholesale “Family Farm Fanatics” “Fond Memories Grown

RIPE Here”

East meets west The Home Ranch 20 acres to 325 The Big Red Barn The Old Tomato Weigh Station Cal-Okie Orchard Kitchen Part of the solution

Sierra Club vs. Ag Chem Assn

Met in Idaho, Moved to Bakersfield Founded on

Shoe Strings Raise 3 kids

on the farm

Trade House for Farm Home equity = $20,000 down 25,000 cash back Should we fix it or tear it down

10 acres rent for 1,500 free cherry trees Babies in a Back Pack – Spurs and Doubles

How We bought 80 acres on a Credit Card $3,000 Earnest Money 10% down 5 year balloon Sell ¾ = 20 free acres Assume Part of debt to buy 4,000 Cherry

Trees Repeated 6 times -> 325 acres

Terms we could live with = Pay later Chopping Wood and Hauling Water The Tent - Rattlesnakes and Locust A.D.D. Plantings -50 Trees each, 200 Varieties Tent -> 40 foot retail trailer

2002 -2004 Planning Dept. M-I P.D. zoning

CITA – 2004 – 2006 Russ – 2006 – 2009 $585,000 Budget, $1,300,000 actual 2011 $55,000 – Pave County Road $50,000 – Replace Refrigeration $40,000 – Pole Barn $16,000 – Back Lot Paving $35,000 – New Attractions Pillow, Corn Cannons, Spider Web, Cow Train

Future Gas Station

25 acres “Free” in land purchase Ag Well, A.E. District water 10 acres commercial, 10 acres industrial, 5 acres

Ag zoned

45 acres Ag zoned 3 buildings, power, domestic water, septic Future – R.V. Park, Big Barn, Gas Station,

Comfort food Fast -Grab and Go Okie Fry Pies Pot Pies Rotisserie Chicken Seasonal Veggies Pies and Ice Cream Bavarian Nuts

We are Producers Revenue Comes From: Export Sales - > 75% Interstate Travelers Southern and Coastal Farmers Markets

Expenses Go To: 77 full time employees - >$1,200,000 600 pickers - > $1,100,00 Local Businesses Government – Taxes (Property, Sales), Permits,

Fines

Two Freeway Farm Markets Year-Round Agri-Entertainment Wagon Rides U-Pick Petting Zoo Hay Rides Ant Farm / Giant Web Seasonal Festivities 28 Farmers Markets Educational and Group Tours

Three Pumpkin Patches Corn Maze Corn Cannons Bounce Pillow Cow Train School Tours

Steve and Vickie Murray during their

favorite time of year, Octoberfest!

Limited Labor, Management Cherries – Prima Fruita, Warmerdam Packing Blue Berries – Herst Berry Apricots – Kirschmann Enterprises

Fond Memories “RIPE” Here Kern Counties Premier Agricultural

Destination Gateway to the Central Valley Connect People with the Food that they Eat Encourage Proper Childhood Nutrition

Farm Bureau Chamber of Commerce Sister Cities School Board Church Board Gleaners / Rescue Mission Warmline Boys and Girls Clubs

Local – Grow what we sell Biodynamic Farming Organic where it is feasible No pesticide residues on fruit Drip Irrigation Fair Pay Live and raise family on the farm Sell Direct to the public

Inefficient Capital Intensive Management Intensive High Risk Long Hours Low wages

Old Fashioned friendly service Multigenerational Farming Family Educational and Entertaining Fulfilling and Rewarding employment

History Part of the solution Retail / Wholesale Kern County Treasure Community Advocate Sustainable Business

Practices “Family Farm Fanatics” “Fond Memories Grown

Ripe Here”